Topic: LOOKING UNTO JESUS [Church of God Mission International] ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL 2 January 2022
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ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL
DATE SUNDAY 2nd JANUARY, 2022.
TOPIC: LOOKING UNTO JESUS
TEXT Heb. 12:1-3; 1 Cor. 1:23-25; Eph 1:19-25
HYMM S, S & S 235 “My Faith looks up to thee…”
CENTRAL THOUGHT: The believer stumbles when he looks away from the lord Jesus Christ.
INTRODUCTION:
When an individual accepts Jesus as his Lord and personal Saviour, it is imperative for the young Convert to learn how to depend on and trust in Christ for everything. Because, right from the day he accepted Christ, the devil
who is the believer’s archenemy, will focus on
him to sway or lure him away from the Lord. He does this by deceiving, trying the believer to sin against and tempting God and Christ. The devil may even go to the extent of buffeting the believer in diverse ways. The
believer must resolve not to give in to the devil and remain faithful and committed to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord who is the author and finisher of
our faith has set an example for us to follow,
we cannot afford to make a shipwreck of our faith.
Also Read: Open Heaven 2 January 2022 Sunday Daily Devotional – The Beginning Of Months II
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
- To know what looking unto Jesus entails:
- understand why the believer must look unto Jesus:
- consider the hindrances in looking unto Jesus:
- examine the consequences of not looking unto Jesus: and
- appreciate the benefits of looking unto Jesus.
BIBLE TRUTH:
Q1. WHAT DOES LOOKING UNTO JESUS ENTAIL?
The Lord Jesus is the Author and Finisher of the Christian faith. This makes it imperative
for the believer to look unto Him steadfastly for leadership and direction. We stumble
when we look away from Him and look at ourselves, someone else or the Circumstances surrounding us. When we fix
our eyes on Him, we receive direction in times of confusion, strength in times of weakness
and encouragement in times of discouragement. Looking unto Jesus entails
believing, trusting and totally Surrendering to the will of God in Christ. Absolute trust in Him
involves our willingness to allow His will prevail in our lives.
Thus, the believer is encouraged to look steadfastly unto the Lord Jesus in order to
live a victorious Christian life and affect his community positively.
Q2. WHY SHOULD THE BELIEVER LOOK UNTO JESUS?
God has revealed in His word that Christ came to the earth to fulfil His plan to save sinners from their sins and the impending doom that awaits them. Also, it is in Christ, the believer lives, moves and has his being (Acts 17:28). The Lord Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no man can come to God or please Him except through Christ (John. 3:17-19; Heb.11:6).
Furthernmore, the Lord Jesus quickens the believer to be able to live a life that is pleasing unto God and in Him dwelleth the fullness of the God head (Phil.3:20-21; Col. 1:19; 2:9-10). In addition, He is the originator and the perfecter of our faith. It is therefore important and imperative for the believer to steadfastly look unto Christ if he is to live a victorious
Christian life and effectively influence his neighbour to accept Christ as Lord and
Saviour.
Q3. WHAT ARE THE HINDRANCES TO LOOKING UNTO JESUS AND HOW CAN WE OVERCOME THEM?
It is God’s will that the believer constantly looks unto the Lord Jesus. However, the enemy tries all kinds of trick to hinder us from focusing on the Lord Jesus by making our hearts to be overcharged with the cares
of life and pursue riches at the expense of our Salvation.
The love of the world can also hinder the believer from focusing on the Lord Jesus.
The Bible says “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world…. For all that
is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the
Father.. (1 John 2:15-17).”
Other hindrances include lack and wants, needs not met, Seemingly unanswered
prayers, trials and temptations, afflictions etc. These tend to influence the weak believer not
to focus on Christ and become lukewarm instead of drawing close to Him.
To overcome some of these hindrances, the believer must give himself to prayers and the
study of God’s word. If the problem persists the individual can go for counselling.
However, our determination to continue to trust the Lord in the face of all odds is very
important.
Q4: WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT LOOKING UNTO JESUS?
When we take our eyes off the Lord Jesus, we stumble and if we continue in this condition
we fall away from faith. In this state, the individual experiences unanswered
prayers, spiritual dryness, overwhelming affliction etc. These may result in spiritual
death and consequently eternal damnation.
We can learn from Apostle Peter’s experience with the Lord Jesus when He walked
upon the sea. “Then Peter called to Him: Sir, if it is really you, tell me to come over to
you, walking on the water. All right’, the Lord said, ‘come along’. So, Peter went over the
side of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus. But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified
and began to sink. “Save me, Lord! he shouted. Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and rescued him” (Matt. 14:28-31,
Living Bible Translation).
From these verses of scripture, we discover that the moment Apostle Peter took his eyes off the Lord Jesus and focused on
the high waves of the sea (the problem around him), he began to sink until the Lord Jesus rescued him.
Therefore, the believer must be determined to steadfastly focus his attention on the Lord Jesus if he is not to make a shipwreck
of his faith.
Q5. WHAT ARE BENEFITS OF LOOKING UNTO JESUS?
The believer who is steadfastly looking unto the Lord Jesus will experience the fullness and the power of God in his life (Col. 2:9-10; 1 Cor. 1:23-25).
He will also be quickened to control his fleshly desires in order to fulfil God’s will for his life.
Any believer who is committed, loyal and
trustworthy in his service to God will experience His abundant blessings, spiritual
rest (Matt. 11:28), peace and joy among others. The Bible says, “Thou wilt keep him in
perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee” (Is. 26:3). This
is the portion of the believer who constantly looks unto the Lord Jesus. Finally, the believer
who looks unto the Lord inherits eternal life.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION.
The believer is running a race of which the Lord Jesus is the author and finisher. The Lord has gone this way, before us. He
knows the way so well that if we focus on Him, He can direct us on how to run the race in order to make it successfully to heaven.
Beware of the devil and his agents who are always ready to lure the believer to take his eyes off the Lord Jesus. Resist him
steadfastly and he will flee from you. Pray and study the word of God regularly. Don’t absent
yourself from the gathering of believers. Preach the word of God to others always. Emulate the Lord Jesus.
MEMORY VERSE: HEBREWS. 12:2
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before
Him endured the cross, despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the
throne of God”.
